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National Hydrography Data - NHD and 3DHP

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

Data files

Data title and descriptionAccess dataFile detailsLast updated

NEW! CDEC Flow Stations with NHD Attributes

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
03/20/24

NHD Major Rivers and Creeks Shapefile

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Rivers Shapefile

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Lakes and Reservoirs Shapefile

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Rivers and Creeks Geodatabase

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Rivers Geodatabase

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Lakes and Reservoirs Geodatabase

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
02/21/24

NHD Major Rivers and Creeks Geopackage

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Rivers Geopackage

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

NHD Major Lakes and Reservoirs Geopackage

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

DownloadZIP
08/11/23

Reference Data Used in Updating the California NHD

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography. DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale. For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive. In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information. The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards. The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer. Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

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08/11/23

Supporting files

Data title and descriptionAccess dataFile detailsLast updated

Elevation Derived Hydrography Presentation, Esri User Conference 20240716

These are slides from the presentation by the California Hydrography Stewardship team at the Esri User Conference on July 16, 2024, "ArcGIS Pro & Beyond:Tools for the Next Generation of National Hydrography Data." Joel Osuna-Williams and Erik Fintel describe the workflow for deriving hydrography from LiDAR digital elevation models using ArcGIS Pro and other custom tools. Here is the abstract: Sometimes we just have to walk away from the old ways of mapping and embrace change. The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) stewards for California have abandoned the ArcMap tools and turned to the next chapter, creating highly accurate LiDAR-derived surface water data for the 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). Spatial Analyst tools are useful, but some extra creativity is essential to getting the job done in compliance with national specifications. See how custom python tools alongside ArcGIS Pro tools build the workflow to solve for barriers, manage z values, ensure QC, and more.

PDF
07/16/24

EDH Presentation, Esri UC, July 14, 2024

These slides were created for presentation at the Water Resources Meeting, a.k.a. Sunday Hydro MeetUp, at the Esri User Conference in San Diego, CA on July 14, 2024. This describes the research and development work that is being done by the Geographical Information Center at California State University-Chico and the Center for Geospatial Science and Technology at California State University, Northridge with funding from the California Department of Water Resources. Authors are Erik Fintel and Joel Osuna-Williams. The presentation title, "Elevation Derived Hydrography Tools:The Search for Dean’s Easy Button and Updates on California’s Efforts," is a nod to the work done by Dr. Dean Djokic, PhD who created the Arc Hydro suite of tools for ArcGIS, and his team at Esri. These tools are essential to the work of California's Hydrography Data Stewardship Team. As Dr. Dean reminds us, there is no Easy Button.

PDF
07/13/24

Download Data & Maps from The National Map

Interactive application that can be used to download National Hydrography products as well as other component layers of The National Map

WEBSITE
08/16/23

USGS - NHD Staged Products Directory

There a various ways to access the NHD data products. If you know the hydrologic unit code for your area of interest you may find it easier to download datasets by link to the amazon cloud site. This directory enables access to the NHD, NHD Plus High Resolution (NHDPlusHR), and the WBD.

WEBSITE
08/11/23

National Hydrography Overlay Map Service (ArcGIS)

An ArcGIS overlay map service for visualizing hydrographic data from the National Hydrography Dataset

ARCGIS GEOSERVICES REST API
08/11/23

The National Map Services

USGS National Map publishes 44 services including overlays of the National Hydrography Dataset, NHDPlus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR), the Watershed Boundary Dataset, and a USGS 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) map service.

ARCGIS GEOSERVICES REST API
08/16/23

California NHD Stewardship Website

DWR is the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD ) in California. We work with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. Visit the California NHD Stewardship page at https://water.ca.gov/Programs/All-Programs/National-Hydrography-Dataset-Stewardship

WEBSITE
08/11/23

USGS National Hydrography Website

WEBSITE
08/16/23

USGS 3D Hydrography Program

The implementation of 3D National Hydrography Program (3DHP) marks the start of a new era of water data - the first systematic remapping of the Nation’s hydrography since the original USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic mapping program was active. Community-wide coordinated investments will contribute toward a consistent set of national water data to answer the most demanding water resource questions.


08/16/23

NHD Data Dictionary

Descriptions of attributes of NHD Feature Classes, Feature Domains, Reachcode Tables, Metadata Tables, Flowline value Added Attributes (VAA) Table, and Miscellaneous Tables

WEBSITE
11/01/23

3D Hydrography Program Products: 3DHP_all 2023 Service Specification | U.S. Geological Survey

3D Hydrography Program service description, data dictionary, and notes from USGS


11/15/23

NHD Stewardship Reports to the California Geographic Information Association Community Council

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the authoritative surface water component of California's spatial data infrastructure. Reports on the progress of the NHD Stewardship Program are posted four times each year on the CGIA Community Council's website. Questions or comments may be directed to the lead steward: Jane.Schafer-Kramer@water.ca.gov.


08/11/23

California Business Rules for Updating the National Hydrography Dataset, 2021 update

This document describes the rules that our stewardship program's editors of California's portion of the NHD followed when editing the data. These rules were written for editing work for the 1:24,000 scale NHD. The authors are Erik Fintel of the California State University, Chico Center for Geographical Studies, and Joel Osuna-Williams of the California State University, Northridge Center for Geospatial Science and Technology. Please direct questions to the lead steward for the California NHD at Jane.Schafer-Kramer@water.ca.gov.

PDF
08/11/23

How to Use the NHD Visibility Filter in a GIS

The NHDFlowline feature class of the NHD now has an attribute field name VisibilityFilter which allows for filtering of these vector data features at eight approximate scales.This is a convenient way to "thin" the density of the flowline features for cartography and for analysis. For more information and instructions on using this filter in Esri's ArcGIS, please visit the USGS website at the above link.


08/11/23

NHD Data Model v2.3 Poster

A pdf intended for poster-sized printing that provides a graphical depiction of the geodatabase schema for the current version of the National Hydrography Dataset, provided by USGS.

PDF
08/11/23

USGS Hydrography Datasets Playlist on YouTube

A collection of recordings of presentations and meetings by U.S. Geological Survey on the National Hydrography Dataset and related data products and tools as hosted on the USGS channel on YouTube.

WEBSITE
06/07/24

Memorandum of Understanding between USGS and DWR

Document: The Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Department of the Interior United States Geological Survey and the California Department of Water Resources for the Stewardship of the National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset in California

PDF
08/11/23

USGS Letter re: End of NHD Editing

DWR received this letter on September 30, 2022 from the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Program informing DWR that editing of the NHD will cease and the dataset will become static in 2023. USGS will shift its focus to the next generation of hydrography data, the 3D Hydrography Program.

PDF
08/11/23

USGS 3D Hydrography Program

This is the USGS website with information about the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) that will replace the National Hydrography Dataset, the Watershed Boundary Dataset, and NHDPlus High Resolution.


06/07/24

Hydrography Data Stewardship: Transitioning to the 3D Hydrography Program

Slides from the presentation at the Esri Pacific User Conference, Sacramento, November 16, 2022

PDF
08/11/23

Elevation-Derived Hydrography Challenges and Solutions, July 2023

Presentation slides explaining the status of California Department of Water Resources' efforts at creating hydrography data that will be compliant with US Geological Survey standards for the 3D Hydrography Program. This was presented by Joel Osuna-Williams and Erik Fintel at the 2023 Esri User Conference. This was created in PowerPoint and converted to an annotated pdf.

PDF
08/11/23

API endpoint

Dataset Name

Use the query web API to retrieve data with a set of basic parameters. Copy the API endpoint you need to start.

Usage documentation